Hibiscus plant name ‘Carafe Yogrenache’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Hibiscus  plant named ‘Carafe Yogrenache’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching and moderately vigorous growth habit; early flowering habit; large dark pink-colored flowers with a darker pink-colored eye; and excellent garden performance.

Botanical designation: Hibiscus moscheutos.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Carafe Yogrenache’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus, botanically known as Hibiscus moscheutos, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Carafe Yogrenache’.

The new Hibiscus is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. and Alva, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching and Hibiscus cultivars with a compact plant habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Hibiscus originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. during the summer of 2000, of an unnamed naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Hibiscus moscheutos cultivar Disco Belle Pink, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Hibiscus moscheutos cultivar Disco Belle White, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Carafe Yogrenache was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. on Jun. 4, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hibiscus by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since July, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Hibiscus are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Carafe Yogrenache has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Carafe Yogrenache’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Carafe Yogrenache’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching and moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Early flowering habit.     -   4. Large dark pink-colored flowers with a darker pink-colored         eye.     -   5. Excellent garden performance.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the female parent, the unnamed whole plant mutation of the cultivar Disco Belle Pink. Plants of the new Hibiscus differ from plants of the unnamed whole plant mutation of the cultivar Disco Belle Pink in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus are fuller than plants of the         unnamed whole plant mutation of the cultivar Disco Belle Pink.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Hibiscus have more intense dark         pink-colored flowers than plants of the unnamed whole plant         mutation of the cultivar Disco Belle Pink.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Disco Belle White. Plants of the new Hibiscus differ from plants of the cultivar Disco Belle White in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus are taller and fuller than plants         of the cultivar Disco Belle White.     -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus flower about two days later than         plants of the cultivar Disco Belle White.     -   3. Plants of the new Hibiscus have slightly smaller flowers than         plants of the cultivar Disco Belle White.     -   4. Plants of the new Hibiscus and the cultivar Disco Belle White         differ in flower coloration as plants of the cultivar Disco         Belle White have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the Hibiscus cultivar Southern Belle, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Hibiscus differed from plants of the cultivar Southern Belle in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus were shorter and fuller than         plants of the cultivar Southern Belle.     -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus had smaller flowers than plants of         the cultivar Southern Belle.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can also be compared to plants of the Hibiscus cultivar Disco Belle Pink, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Hibiscus differed from plants of the cultivar Disco Belle Pink in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus were fuller than plants of the         cultivar Disco Belle Pink.     -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus flowered about five days later         than plants of the cultivar Disco Belle Pink.     -   3. Plants of the new Hibiscus had slightly smaller flowers than         plants of the cultivar Disco Belle Pink.     -   4. Plants of the new Hibiscus and the cultivar Disco Belle Pink         differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Disco Belle         Pink had white-colored flowers with pink-colored margins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Hibiscus, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hibiscus.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Carafe Yogrenache’ grown in an outdoor nursery in Alva, Fla. for about six months.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Carafe Yogrenache’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Alva, Fla. in one-gallon containers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse during the summer and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 29° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from 21° C. to 24° C. Plants were pinched about one month after planting. The description was taken about two months after the pinch. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hibiscus moscheutos cultivar Carafe     Yogrenache. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Unnamed naturally-occurring whole             plant mutation of Hibiscus moscheutos cultivar Disco Belle             Pink, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Hibiscus moscheutos cultivar Disco             Belle White, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About eight days at             temperatures of 30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About 12 to 14 days at             temperatures of 30° C.         -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About 18 to 21 days at             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; upright and             outwardly spreading plant habit. Moderately vigorous growth             habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, lateral branches             potentially forming at every node.         -   Plant height.—About 33 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 35 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 25 cm. Diameter:             About 8 mm. Internode length: About 2.2 cm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: 144A to 146A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 7.5 cm. Width: About 6 cm. Shape: Cordate to ovate.             Apex: Acute; narrowly tapering. Base: Cordate. Margin:             Crenate; slightly undulate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Palmate.             Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: Slightly darker             green than 147A. Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to             147B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker green             than 147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to             147B. Venation, upper surface: Darker green than 147A.             Venation, lower surface: Close to 147B; towards the base,             close to 146A. Petiole: Length: About 5.7 cm. Diameter:             About 3.75 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Flowers develop at axillary leaf axils;             typically one or two flowers per axil. Flowers face upright             to outward.         -   Flower appearance.—Rotate dark pink-colored flowers with a             darker pink-colored eye. Flowers are open for about two             days. Flowers persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Usually spring and summer or             during periods of warm weather.         -   Flower diameter.—About 12.5 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 3.2 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 146B to 147B.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Corolla consists of five             petals; petals imbricate. Length: About 6.7 cm. Width: About             6.5 cm. Shape: Roughly orbicular. Apex: Rounded; undulate.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire to slightly crenate;             undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; satiny; rugose. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 73A; towards the base, 60A             to 59B; venation, close to 60A. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 68A; venation, close to 61A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five sepals fused into a             tubular calyx. Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 1 cm.             Shape: Oblong. Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:             Slightly pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 146B.             Color, lower surface: Close to 146B to 147B.         -   Bracts.—Quantity/arrangement: About ten in a single whorl.             Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Sharply acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to             146A. Color, lower surface: Between 146A and 147A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Angle: Straight to slightly bent. Strength: Strong,             flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             Numerous, about 100. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther size:             About 2 mm by 1.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 4C to close to             183A to 183B. Amount of pollen: None observed. Gynoecium:             Pistil quantity per flower: One with five stigmas. Pistil             length: About 2.9 cm. Style length: About 2.4 cm. Style             color: Close to 155D overlain with 57A. Stigma shape:             Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 59A. Ovary color: Close to             144B to 144C.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have been observed to     be tolerant to wind and rain and to have excellent garden     performance. -   Hardiness: Plants of the new Hibiscus have been observed to be hardy     to USDA Zone 5. -   High temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have been     observed to tolerate temperatures of about 40° C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hibiscus. 

1. A new and distinct Hibiscus plant named ‘Carafe Yogrenache’, as illustrated and described. 